This invention relates to hardware, electrical fixtures and houseware accessories having luminosity for emergency and non-lighted conditions in which to illuminate the outer surface of such hardware and accessories, and give them visibility in the absence of any light source. More particularly, to luminescent hardware and electrical fixtures such as door knobs, door locks, switch plates, electrical receptacles and the like, in which the chemiluminescent coating on its outer surface gives the user a source of visible light in order for the user to have access to those items in the absence of any light source during emergency conditions.
Frequently, many types of emergency conditions and situations are experienced in homes, offices, stores, industrial plant facilities and commercial establishments involving power failures where an interior or exterior area has no visible light. These power failures may be caused by electrical short circuits, fire, accidents, brown-outs, black-outs natural disasters (such as hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, typhoons, tidal surges, etc. ) or a planned shutdown or shut-off of electricity to a residential dwelling or commercial facility. As a result of these emergencies, most facilities, and especially residential homes, do not have emergency generators, or only emergency light sources (such as lanterns, flash lights, etc.) to provide visible lighting for leaving or entering such buildings during these emergency conditions.
There remains a need for luminescent hardware, utility accessories, electrical fixtures or houseware devices for providing a visible light source in the absence of the any light during an emergency non-lighted conditions in order to provide automatic and natural illumination to an area when a power failure occurs. Examples of such luminescent hardware and electrical fixtures can be in the form of door knobs, door locks, switch plates, electrical receptacles and the like.
Utility accessories and service hardware having an illumination source during emergency and non-emergency conditions of various designs, styles, structures, configurations and materials of construction have been disclosed in the prior art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,514,789 discloses a housing on a switch plate having an LED to locate a light switch in the dark. U.S. Pat. No. 4,611,264 discloses a housing adhesively attached to a switch plate having a light to locate the light switch in the dark. The housing can be removed and used as a flashlight. These prior art patents do not disclose the structure and design of a luminescent coating on the outer surface wall of a switch plate as shown in the present invention.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,308,844; 3,719,812; and 4,777,570 all disclose a light source such as a light bulb being mounted within the knob section of a door knob having a clear plastic cover. These prior art patents do not disclose the structure and design of a luminescent coating on the knob section of a door knob as shown in the present invention.
None of the prior art patents teach or disclose utility accessories or service hardware having a luminescent outer surface for providing a luminescent (visible) light source in which to locate such devices or hardware in the absence of any type of light source.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide for utility accessories, service hardware, electrical fixtures, and houseware devices having luminosity in order to give such items visibility in the absence of any light source for non-lighted and emergency conditions.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a chemiluminescent coating to the outer surface of service hardware and utility accessories in order to illuminate and give them visibility when no visible light is present.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a chemiluminescent coating to such service hardware and utility accessories that include door knobs, door locks, switch plates, electrical receptacle sand the like.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a luminescent outer surface to such aforementioned devices in order to give visible light source to such devices in an interior or exterior area having a minimum or complete absence of light.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a luminescent outer surface having a coating made from luminescent chemical materials selected from the group consisting of white phosphorous, red phosphorous, phosphors, organic guanine (fish scales), metallic and non-metallic micas, bismuth oxychloride, phosphorous oxychloride, or other chemiluminescent materials.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a luminescent outer surface that produces a light source from a chemiluminescent material which glows white, red, yellow green in the absence of light.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a micro-thin screen cover having a color tint, in which to enhance the luminescent outer surface of such devices in order for the chemiluminescent material coating to be better observed by the user in the absence of any other light source.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a shell protective cover for protecting the luminescent material coating on the outer surfaces of the aforementioned devices from wearing off or deteriorate through normal use and handling.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a luminescent outer surface having a chemiluminescent coating that is long-lasting, durable in use, and reliable for producing a light source in the absence of light.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a chemiluminescent coating on the outer surface of such aforementioned devices where such luminescent material coating may be mass produced in an automated and economical manner on such devices and is readily affordable by the consumer.
In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a luminescent composite laminate structure for utility accessories and service hardware having luminosity for emergency and non-lighted conditions in which to illuminate the outer surface of such hardware are and accessories. The composite laminate structure includes a plurality of layers for the protection of the luminescent outer surface of the laminated hardware or accessories. The plurality of layers include an outer first layer, an inner second layer and an inner core third layer for covering the outer surface of such hardware or accessories. The outer first layer is a plastic protective covering for resistance to wear and impact; and the outer first layer is covering the inner second layer and has an inner surface wall in contact with the inner second layer. The inner second layer is a plastic micro-thin covering having a plurality of micro-hole openings for the transfer of oxygen (O2) through the micro hole openings in order to increase visibility of the luminescent outer surface: and the inner second layer is covering the inner third layer and having an inner surface wall in contact with said inner core third layer. The inner core third layer is a luminescent material coating for providing luminosity
to the outer surface of such hardware or accessories; and the inner core third layer is coating the outer surface of such hardware and accessories.